Wing king Packman wanders in for four tries
HOWARD Packman scored four tries as the Northampton Wanderers took maximum points from their clash with Wasps on Monday evening.
The former England U20s wing scored twice in either half at Franklin’s Gardens while Charlie Clare and James Wilson also crossed.
Wasps dominated large chunks of the second half as they looked to overturn a 24-10 deficit, but their inability to turn pressure into points instead left the hosts to increase their winning margin as they scored three tries in the final ten minutes.
The other big result in the North group came from Sale, where Leicester secured a thumping 34-0 win to remain unbeaten at the top of the table.
The Tigers Development XV held a 24-point lead at half-time thanks to two penalty tries awarded from close-range scrums and a score from wing George Catchpole, all converted by George Worth who also added a penalty.
In the second half, Sam Yawayawa added two more tries as Tigers made it three wins from three games.
It was a big night for summer signing Pat Cilliers who made his first appearance for Tigers off the bench. The South Africa international prop joined this summer from Montpellier but was yet to feature having suffered a groin injury in pre-season.
Gloucester produced a fine second half display to turn a 19-7 half-time deficit into a 31-29 win and give Bristol their first taste of defeat in the A-League.
Bristol started well and tries from Giorgi Nemsadze, Chris Brooker and Ellias Caven handed them a commanding lead despite Harry Robinson crossing for Gloucester.
But a young Cherry and Whites outfit hit back early in the second half and they led for the first time of the game after Mat Protheroe and Joe Batley went over.
A yellow-card to Nemsadze for fighting gave Gloucester more ammunition and Robinson scored his second, being set up by Protheroe who ran the show from fly-half.
Bristol wing Auguy Slowick made it a two-point game but Ben Vellacott gave Gloucester the win.
Bristol remained at the top of the South table but they see Saracens Storm come back to within a point after claiming a thrilling 2923 bonus-point win over Bath United.
Two late tries from replacement hooker Jared Saunders won it for the Storm.
The Exeter Braves, who had prop Ben White cross for a double, left the Stoop with their first win of the season while the Worcester Cavaliers suffered yet another defeat, this time 3819 to Newcastle, but welcomed the return of flanker Sam Betty who recovered from the back injury that saw him miss the start of the season.